Der Tonwille, Heft 3 (1922)

The Will of the Tone, issue 3 (1922)

Contents

Issue 3, 40 pages in length, comprises just one of each of the three main Tonwille article types: an article on a single work (19 pages), a
theoretical article (4 pages), and "Miscellanea" (13 pages of
small type). The lead article forms the third of a "trilogy" of articles (though
Schenker does not characterize them as such) on piano sonatas of Haydn (E-flat, Hob.
XVI:52), Mozart (A minor, K. 310), and Beethoven (Op. 2, No. 1) that spans issues 2 and
3. The second article begins in dialogue form, ending as a polemic against two
19th-century editors, Hans von Bülow and Karl Klindworth.

The "Miscellanea" was an object of sharp dispute between
Schenker and Hertzka. Its contents had been mostly destined for issue 2 but Hertzka had
objected to some of the material and issue 2 was published without any "Miscellanea." It was then considered for publication as a separate booklet;
but ultimately was deferred to issue 3 with an article against Paul Bekker and some anti-French material omitted. (In the published English
translation, the omitted anti-French paragraphs and the anti-Semitic section, "Ein
Sommererlebnis" (A Summer Incident"), have been restored to their proper places, and the
Bekker material is translated in full in the appendix to vol. II.)

Publication History

The main work on the Haydn sonata was done in March and June–August 1922, much of it
while on vacation in the Tyrol; "Die Kunst zu hören" was written
on August 30, 1922, after his return to Vienna; and the whole issue delivered to UE on
September 4, 1922. It was sent to the printer on September 14 (OC 52/327), and was
published on January 19, 1923 (OC 52/339).

Correspondence

Schenker offers to lend Violin his performing materials for two keyboard
concertos by C. P. E. Bach. He inquires about musical life in Hamburg, reports on his most
recent work, continues to despair of his financial situation.

Schenker returns materials for the Fifth Symphony article, reports a delay in
providing information for the facsimile edition of the "Spring" Sonata, and complains that he
has futilely lavished time on the purification of the German language for the second edition of
Die letzten fünf Sonaten ... Op. 109. — He agrees in principle to Hertzka's idea of an
"Urlinie-Ausgabe" of the Beethoven sonatas, and agrees to announce it in Tonwille 2, but asks
how the first seventeen sonatas are to be done retrospectively, and rejects the suggestion that
his pupils might make the preparatory graphs.

Acknowledges OJ 11/35, 20 and composition; expects to be able to comment on
Halm's Klavierübung in Tonwille 4; reports Leipzig University's decision not to appoint him;
speculates on the impact of Kontrapunkt 2 and Der freie Satz; public difficulty in accepting
Urgesetze. — Aristide Briand: The importance of being well-read on a topic before commenting in
public: Schoenberg and Reger; newspapers. — Maximilian Harden: although faithful to Schenker,
Harden had not mastered the topics on which he wrote. — National Govenment: Schenker's
publishing plans, including "The Future of Humanity": man's anthropomorphic thinking is a
delusion, he needs to adapt to nature, to return to a primitive state, to abandon "development"
and "progress" and return to primordial laws; inferior man wants to "govern" (bowel wants to
become brain); Schenker deplores "artifice" (French) as against nature (German). — Things
French: praises German superiority over French in its joy of work. — Higher Plane: the German
should not abase himself before the Frenchman.

Schenker acknowledges receipt of two booklets on youth and the new republic,
returns them, comments on them critically: idealistic German democrats desire maximal
remuneration with minimal work; illustrates point by difficulties with maids in Schenker
household; German democrats naively overestimate social and intellectual status of non-German
commoners (French, British, American); Schenker decries cosmopolitanism and those Germans who
advocate individuality at the expense of society; Schenker praises the fascists as countering
communism and social leveling, compares Mussolini's Italy favorably with present-day
Germany.

Schenker reports the imminent publication of Tonwille 3, and some new publishing
ventures, including a (new) edition of music by C. P. E. Bach and an "Urlinie Edition" of the
Short Preludes by J. S. Bach.

Deutsch provides a full overview of Schenker income from the current sales reported by Universal
Edition of the "Moonlight" Sonata facsimile edition, and also his debts at Seidel's Book Dealership; Schenker
owes Deutsch 76.65 marks. Deutsch is dissatisfied with Universal Edition's behavior with respect to the
publication.

Dahms reports change of address and explains circumstances; has sent a
prospectus to UE; progress on subscriptions to his de luxe edition and a new American
contact; synopsis of his planned Bel Canto book. — He praises the "Miscellanea" in Tonwille
3, and comments on Schenker's understanding of democracy.

Schenker has heard nothing from Eugen Steinhof; — he commends Hammer's
reaction to Halm's work, and comments unfavorably on the latter's musicianship, character,
and opinions; — he writes disparagingly of Robert Brünauer.